Garment-supporter.



No. 825,395. PATENTED JULY 10, 1906.

M. J. KBNNELLY & W. J. DONGH. I

GARMENT SUPPORTEB.

APPLIGATION FILED FEB.14, 1905.

FIG. 1.

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

M IOHAEL J. KEN NELLY AND WILLIAM J. DONCH, OF PH ILAD ELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

GARMENT-SUPPORTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 10, 1906.

Application filed February 14, 1905. Serial No. 245,639.

To rtZZ whom, 212? may concern:

Be it known that we, MICHAEL J. KEN- NELLY and VVILLIAM J. DoNcn, citizens of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and-State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Garment-Supporters, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to garmentsupporters, and especially to limb-encircling hosesupporters.

The object of our invention is to provide a clasp for securing the supporter upon the limb, having a hinged member capable of an angular movement relative thereto and against the tension of the elastic band forming the encircling member.

A further object of our invention is to provide an improved clasp for securing to a fabric which shall hold the-fabric securely and reduce the'liability of tearing to a minimum.

WVith these and other objects in view the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, propo-r tion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of our improved garment-supporter, shown in operative position as supporting a stocking. Fig. 2 is a detail view, in side elevation, of the metallic parts of our improved garment-supporter, showing their disposition relative to the elastic band. Fig. 3 is an end view of the fabric-engaging clasp. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the fabric-engaging clasp and the clasp for securing the band to the limb. Fig. 5 is a view in front elevation of the hinged clasp member forming the essential features of our invention. Fig. 6 is a view in end elevation of the hinged clasp member.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

In its preferred embodiment our improved garment-supporter comprises a clasp memher 1, provided with slots 2, as shown in detail in Fig. 5. To the clasp member 1 is pivotally secured a runner 3, likewise provided with slots 4, as shown in Fig. 5. The runner 3 and the clasp member 1 are pivoted in any approved manner, as by the rivet 5, and a rivet 6 or equivalent means is also secured to the clas member 1.

An e astic band 7 is passed through the openings 2 of the clasp member 1 and continued to and through. the slots 4 of runner 3. One free end of the elastic band 7 is secured to a member 8, provided with a slot 9, adapted for engagement with the rivet 6 of the clasp member 1. The other free end of the elastic band 7 is passed through the slot 10 of the plate 11, forming a part of the tabric-engaging clasp. The plate 1 1 is provided, adjacent the end opposite the slot 1.0, with a lug 12, upstanding from the plate. At a point intermediate the ends of the plate 11 is fulcrumed a lever 13, which is provided at one end with an opening 14- somewhat larger than and disposed about the lug 12. A spring 15 is provided capable of holding the lever 13 with the opening 14 about the lug 12, but permitting the movement of the lever to the position 1.3 (shown in F 3) to permit the introduction of a fabric, as the stocking 15, and as shown in Fig. 1.

The operation of our improved garment supporter when used in connection with a stocking is as follows: The fabric of the stocking 15 is engaged by the clasp 11, the lug 12 holding the fabric firmly in engagement with the opening 14. The free end of the elastic band 7 being passed about the limb, the slot 9 is passed over and engaged with the rivet 6, securing the band upon the limb. It is evident that the passing of the band 7 through the radially-disposed slots 2 and 4 causes the band 7 to assume a curve, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, thus bringing the fabricengaging clasp 11 into position for conveniently engaging a garment. It will also be seen that a strain exerted upon the clasp 11 will cause an enlargement of the angle betweenthe runner 3 and the clasp member against the tension of the elastic band 7.

It is well known that in similar garmentsupporters provided with a rigid clasp member the elastic band has a tendency to break at the point of attachment to the clasp mem;.

ber. An examination of the drawings will readily shop "the pivotal connection between the clasp member 1 and the runner 3 will tend to minimize the breakage of the elastic fabric.

It is further well known that a fabric-engaging clasp capable of holding a garment with sufficient tenacity will not release the garment when submitted to a tearing strain and that a clasp which will release a garment before a tearing strainis exerted thereon is liable to become disengaged from the garment at undesirable times.

An examination of the drawings will show that a fabric will be retained upon the lug 12 by'the aperture 14 with a very considerable degree of force, but is adapted to release the fabric upon the exertion of strain sufficient to rend the fabric.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as novel, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a garment-supporter, a clasp member comprising a plurality of plates pivotally secured together and provided with bandengaging slots, a band adapted to encircle and be secured about the leg of the wearer engaged within the band-engaging slots of one of said plates and a band carrying a fabric engaging member secured within the band-engaging slots of another of said pivoted plates.

2. In a garment-supporter, the combination of a clasp member comprising a plurality of plates secured together by a transverselydisposed pivot, one or more of said plates being provided with band-engaging means, a band, and a supplemental member provided with band-engaging means and adapted to secure said band about the leg of the wearer, means for removably securing the said members together a garment-engaging member carried by one of said plates.

3. In a garmentsupporter, the combination of a clasp member comprising a plurality of plates secured together by a transverselydisposed pivot, and movable in the same plane, a plurality of said pivoted plates being provided with one or more band-receiving slots, and a supplemental member provided with a band-engaging slot means carried by one member to engage within an opening provided in the other member for removably securing the said members together a garment-engaging member depending from one of said plates.

4. In a garment-supporter, the combination with a clasp member comprising a plurality of plates pivotally secured together, and having swinging movement with relation to each other in the plane in which they lie, one or more of said plates being provided with band-engaging means, of a band, a supplemental member provided with band-engaging means and adapted to secure said band about the leg of the wearer, means for removably securing the members together and a garment-engaging member depending from one of said plates.

5. In a garment-supporter, the combination with a clasp member comprising a plurality of plates pivotally secured together, having swinging movement with relation to each other in the plane in which they lie, a plurality of said plates being provided with one or more band-receiving slots, of a supplemental member provided with a band-engaging slot, means carried by one member to engage within an opening provided in the other member for removably securing the said members together and a garment-engaging member depending from one of said plates.

6. In a garmentsupporter, an elastic band adapted and arranged to encircle the limb of the wearer, a clasp member disposed upon and intermediate the ends of said band, means carried by one end of the band for engagement with a fabric, means carried by the other end of the band for engagement with the clasp member and a runner mounted upon the band and pivotally secured to the clasp member and capable of an angular movement relative thereto. 7

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

MICHAEL J. KENNELLY.

WILLIAM J. DoNcH.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. BEADMAN, DANIEL G. HEINTZELMAN. 

